The Confluence of Civilisations

clipped from en.qantara.de In response to President Obama’s historic address to the Muslim world in Cairo, the Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lists in his essay nine imperatives for the peaceful co-existence of the civilisations The first imperative is to make the 21st century the century of soft power. The second imperative is to intensify global dialogue and outreach. The third imperative is the need to find a solution to political conflicts that drive a wedge between the Western and Muslim worlds. Muslims must be able to differentiate between a conflict involving Muslims, and a "war against Islam". The fourth imperative is to strengthen voices of moderation in our communities. The fifth imperative is multiculturalism and tolerance. The sixth imperative is to make globalisation work for all. The seventh imperative is to reform global governance. Imperative number eight is education. Finally, the ninth imperative is a global conscience.